About the Program

1. Can I apply for countries not listed in the application?
2. Can I apply for subjects/levels that I don't currently teach even if I'm certified to teach other subjects/levels?
3. Do I have to speak a foreign language to participate in the program?
4. I'm a special education teacher.  Can I apply to the program?
5. If I'm a guidance counselor, school psychologist, librarian, nurse, or media specialist am I eligible to apply?
6. Who pays me while I'm on exchange?
7. Where will I live while I'm on exchange?
8. Can I take my family on exchange with me?
9. Can I apply with my spouse, who is also a teacher?
   
10. Can I do a teacher exchange in the summer?
11. Is there an age limit? Can I apply for an exchange after I retire?
12. Is there a cost to my school for participating in an exchange?
13. Can my administrator choose the international teacher who will take my place?
14. Are international teachers certified to teach in the U.S.?
15. What happens if the international teacher has problems while they are on exchange in the U.S.?
16. Can I do a one-way exchange?
17. Will the mentor at the U.S. host school be compensated for supporting an international teacher?
    

1.Can I apply for countries not listed in the application? 

No. You may only apply for countries listed in the application for the year that you apply.

2.Can I apply for subjects/levels that I don't currently teach even if I'm certified to teach other subjects/levels?

No. Since an international teacher will be assuming your teaching duties, the placement of the international teacher in your school is based on the subject and level that you currently teach.

3.Do I have to speak a foreign language to participate in the program?

Yes, if you are applying for France, Mexico, or Switzerland. Candidates may be required to participate in a language evaluation.  If you are applying to any other country, foreign language proficiency is not required.

4.I'm a special education teacher.  Can I apply to the program? 

Yes. Full-time teachers of any subject are eligible to apply. See individual country listings for more detail. In the past we have placed special education teachers in the United Kingdom.

5.If I'm a guidance counselor, school psychologist, librarian, nurse, or media specialist am I eligible to apply? 

No. These are highly specialized positions, which are not always available in other countries.

6.Who pays me while I'm on exchange? 

Your school district continues to pay your salary, and the international teacher's home school district continues to pay her/his salary for the duration of the exchange. In addition, U.S. teachers and teachers from the Czech Republic, Hungary, India, and Mexico will receive a supplemental maintenance allowance. 

7.Where will I live while I'm on exchange? 

Housing arrangements are the responsibility of selected participants. Teachers are expected to help locate suitable housing for their partner and vice-versa before going on exchange. Most teachers on programs in France, Switzerland, and the U.K. exchange housing with their partners. It is recommended that participants consider the following options when making housing determinations: 1) locate temporary housing for a week to ten days upon arrival in the host country; 2) find housing on your own in the open market with suggestions from your exchange partner; 3) ask your exchange partner to help locate local rental options; 4) exchange housing with your partner if both partners are in agreement.

8.Can I take my family on exchange with me? 

Yes. Many exchange teachers take their families on exchange, but at their own expense. See individual country listings for any restrictions.

9.Can I apply with my spouse, who is also a teacher?

Yes, teaching couples may apply.  However, because of the limited number of international candidate couples with similar qualifications, it may not be possible to arrange assignments in the same locality or to place both teachers.

10.Can I do a teacher exchange in the summer? 

No. Unfortunately, direct exchanges are not available during the summer.

11.Is there an age limit? Can I apply for an exchange after I retire? 

While there is no age limit for participating in the program, you must have a full-time teaching position to apply.

12.Is there a cost to my school for participating in an exchange? 

U.S. teachers participating in a direct exchange of teaching positions are granted a leave of absence with pay and benefits, and use their regular salaries to cover daily expenses while abroad. International teachers are paid by their home schools, and replace their U.S. counterparts at no additional cost to the hosting school. U.S. schools are asked to cover substitute costs for several days while the international teacher attends required Fulbright meetings.

13.Can my administrator choose the international teacher who will take my place? 

No, but they will have a chance to review the application of the proposed international teacher and accept or decline the exchange before final selection. All applicants must submit an Administrative Approval form at the time of application. Those applicants applying for a direct exchange of teaching positions must submit the form approved "with salary." The Administrative Approval form does not obligate the school or the district to accept an international teacher, only to approve the U.S. candidate's application to the program for a possible exchange. If an applicant is proposed for a direct exchange of teaching positions, Fulbright forwards the applicant's immediate supervisor and district official the application of the international teacher. The application includes: educational background, professional experience, letters of recommendation, teaching credentials, interview results and other supporting documentation. Once the administration receives the proposal packet, they should review it with the applicant.
If the applicant or the administration finds the proposed exchange in any way unsatisfactory, the applicant or the administration may decline the proposal and Fulbright will search for a more suitable match. Only after all parties have agreed that the exchange is acceptable will the final selection and exchange take place.

14. Are international teachers certified to teach in the U.S.?

International teachers undergo a rigorous screening and interview process by U.S. Embassies or Fulbright Commissions in their own countries before their applications are forwarded to the United States. We use the results of these interviews and other supporting documents to find a match for your school's particular needs. All international teachers must be fluent in English and be fully credentialed to teach in their own countries before they can apply to the program. Since the Fulbright teacher will not technically be employed by your district and will remain employed and paid by his/her own international school, the majority of states waive the credential for the teacher. Other states give the teacher an emergency or temporary certification, or they have a specific exemption for exchange teachers. In addition, the U.S. Department of Education recognizes that Fulbright teachers are not directly hired by the U.S. school and are therefore not subject to the qualification provisions delineated by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA). 

U.S. teachers selected for an exchange are required to set up a support network for the incoming international teacher before leaving the United States. To assist the incoming international teacher, schools must also designate an official mentor teacher, who will assist the international teacher on-site. In addition, the U.S. hosting school and international teacher are supported by AED for the duration of the exchange. In the event that problems arise, AED is there to offer assistance.

One-way assignments are rare but may be available depending on funding and interest by a particular country. A U.S. applicant may not apply directly for a one-way assignment, however, if you answer "Yes" to Question E in the application, you will be considered for a one-way assignment should a suitable assignment become available. In that case, you would need to take a leave of absence, or your school would need to cover your teaching assignments while you are away.

Yes, the mentor will receive a stipend of $500 per semester.